


The Call

by SharkGirl



Series: SouRin Week Feb 2016 [8]
Category: Free!
Genre: Blood, Blood Drinking, Day 8, Day 8: Free!, Heat-like Symptoms, M/M, Sea Creature AU, Sexual Tension, SouRin Week, The Vampire/Merman AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 04:20:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5953375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin lowered his head so his mouth was hovering just over the juncture of Sousuke’s neck and shoulder.<br/>“Rin, what are you…?”<br/>“Thirsty,” he repeated, warm breath fanning over the taller man’s skin.<br/>“Rin-” but Sousuke cut himself off with a shout as he felt sharp teeth sink into his flesh.  </p><p>Written for Day 8 of SouRin Week, Free! (whatever you want)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Call

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! The last day of SouRin Week. Thanks for sticking with me!!
> 
> So, the final day doesn't have any prompts. It's completely up to you, so...I went to a random prompt generator for some ideas. They had a really cool [Interspecies Romance Pairer](http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/interspecies_romance_pairer.htm) and I thought, 'Why not?'  
> But I couldn't decide between Merperson/Human and Vampire/Human...so I decided to combine them!
> 
> Also, I've been wanting to write something about Rin and Gou's dad, so...that's in here, too!!
> 
> Ah, it's like all my dreams are coming true! (more or less) Unbeta'd. Please enjoy~

Sousuke was awoken from a deep, dreamless sleep by the shrill ringing of his cellphone.  He turned over and reached for the ladder of the bunkbed he shared with Rin, but he came up empty-handed.  Rubbing bleary eyes, he glanced over the edge of the bed and saw the carpeted floor less than a meter below.  Then he remembered.  He’d gone back to his parents’ house for the break.

His phone was still beeping loudly, making it impossible for him to roll onto his back, close his eyes, and answer the oh-so-tempting call of slumber.  Still half-asleep, Sousuke pulled himself out of bed and padded over to his dresser to unplug and answer his phone.

“Hello?”  His voice was rough from sleep.

 _‘Sousuke-kun?’_ Gou’s panicked voice drifted over the line and Sousuke was immediately wide awake, remembering the reason he and Rin had returned to Iwatobi instead of spending their break getting in extra training in the unoccupied Samezuka pool.

“What’s wrong?” he stood up straighter.

 _‘Onii-chan, he’s…I don’t know what to do,’_ she sounded like she was on the verge of tears.  _‘Mom’s working the late shift and-’_ she hiccupped.  _‘Sousuke-kun, he’s calling for you and, h-he’s…he’s burning up.’_

“I’ll be right over,” Sousuke held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he grabbed his jeans from the day before, quickly pulling them on.  “Just don’t leave him alone,” he said, snatching his wallet off of his nightstand.  “Keep him hydrated. I’m on my way.”

Sousuke hung up and took a deep breath.  He knew something was wrong.  He only wished he’d pressed Rin’s mother for answers before he left.  For now, he’d do all he could until she was able to come home and tend to her son.

*~*

It all started two days earlier.

Rin and Sousuke were in their room, getting ready for their final practice before the long weekend, the school giving their students an extra day off for Setsubun.

“Got any plans?” Sousuke asked, grabbing his bathing cap and goggles from his desk.

“Nah, not really,” the redhead replied as he took his text book out of his bag and put it in its proper place on the shelf.  “Mom keeps bugging me to come home, though.”

“Well, Setsubun does happen to be the day after your birthday,” the brunet chuckled.  “Do you think it has something to do with that?”

“She missed plenty of my birthdays when I was in Australia,” Rin said.  “It’s no big deal.”

“Well, maybe it’s because she missed so many,” Sousuke offered.  “You’re her only son, you know.”

“Ugh, now you’re starting to sound like her,” Rin rolled his eyes and threw his towel at Sousuke’s face.  “Let’s go before we’re late.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he pulled the towel from his face and walked after him.

*~*

It happened near the end of practice and it came with no warning.

Rin had been swimming just fine.  Maybe a few seconds slower than usual, but he wasn’t complaining.

The redhead had just finished a heat against a few of the first years when, as he was pulling himself out of the pool, he collapsed, falling onto the slippery tile.

“Senpai!” Ai shouted, blue eyes wide.

Sousuke, who had been helping an underclassman with his technique, rushed over, crouching at his best friend’s side.

“What happened?” he asked Ai, not looking away from the redhead.  Rin’s eyes were squeezed shut.  He was gripping at his legs and breathing heavily.

“I don’t know,” the second-year swallowed.  “I was walking over to tell Rin-senpai his time when he fell. I…I didn’t see him slip.”

“Rin,” Sousuke brushed damp bangs out of the other man’s face, his hand grazing his skin.  “Shit, he’s burning up,” his eyes went wide.  “Someone call the school nurse,” he shouted over his shoulder.

“Sou…suke…” Rin croaked, cracking his eyes open and looking up at him.  His face was flushed and his breathing was labored.

“Shh…” Sousuke soothed, smoothing his hair.  “You’ll be okay.”

“Hurts…” he closed his eyes again and his body went limp.

*~*

“The only thing I can think of is overwork,” the nurse said, placing a cooling pad on Rin’s forehead.  “That would explain the pain in his legs and the sudden rise in his body temperatue,” he went on.  “It’s a low-grade fever, so I’m not too worried, but,” he paused, “he should take it easy this weekend.”

“Yes."  But Sousuke wasn’t looking at the nurse.  He sat down on the stool beside the bed and rested his elbows on his knees.

“I’ll call his mother,” the nurse said.  “If he wakes up while I’m gone, there’s some ibuprofen and a glass of water on my desk.”  Sousuke nodded.

Once the nurse was out of the room, he reached out and grabbed Rin’s hand.  It was so pale, but it burned just as hot as his flushed face.

“Overwork…” he repeated the diagnosis, his free hand unconsciously rubbing his shoulder.

Rin slept for a good few hours before he finally began to stir.  The nurse had already gone home for the day.  Crimson eyes fluttered open and his brow furrowed.

“Where…?”

“The clinic,” Sousuke answered and Rin jumped, obviously startled.  “Sorry,” he quickly apologized.  “How are you feeling?”

“Um…” Rin sat up and put a hand to his head.  “Thirsty.”

“Here,” Sousuke walked over to the desk and grabbed the glass of water and the pills.  “The nurse said to take these when you woke up.”

“Thanks,” Rin took the medicine and downed the glass of water, giving a satisfied sigh before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.  “That hit the spot,” he beamed, but his face fell when he looked at Sousuke.  “What’s wrong?”

“The nurse said it’s overwork,” he had his arms folded over his chest, probably looking more menacing than he’d intended.  “Have you been adding extra runs or trips to the gym that I don’t know about?”

“No…” Rin trailed off, dropping his gaze.  He didn’t sound like he was hiding something.  He sounded confused.  “If anything, I’ve been taking it easier,” he admitted.  “I’ve been feeling kind of off lately.”

“Maybe it’s a good idea to go home for the break,” Sousuke suggested.  “Get some rest so we’re ready for prefecturals.”

“You may be right,” the redhead agreed.

“Just like that?” Sousuke raised his brows.  “You’re not going to put up a fight about how it’s wasting our opportunity to have the pool all to ourselves?”

“No, I…I think some time off might do me good,” Rin looked up at him, giving a small, tired smile.

“Now I’m really worried,” Sousuke reached forward and cupped Rin’s cheek.  The redhead glared up at him.

“Shut up, asshole!” Rin swatted his hand away and stuck out his tongue.

“There, that’s more like it,” the brunet chuckled.  “Shall we head back to the room to pack?”

*~*

They left the following day after classes ended.  There hadn’t been a repeat of the incident at the pool, but Sousuke still kept a watchful eye over his best friend.  He couldn’t risk him falling and hitting his head or worse, taking a tumble down the stairs.

“I’m not a baby, Sousuke,” Rin complained when the brunet offered to carry his bags.

“I know that,” Sousuke said, holding the duffel just out of reach.  “I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, I don’t need any help,” the redhead huffed.  “Next you’ll start cutting up my food for me, I expect.”

“If that helps you.”

“Sousuke!” he growled and the taller man laughed.

“Just take it easy,” Sousuke walked over to their train platform.

“Fine,” Rin grumbled and stood beside him.

“And stop frowning,” the brunet nudged him with his elbow.  “It’s your birthday tomorrow,” he smirked, “Aren’t you supposed to be happy?”

“I’d be happier if my best friend stopped treating me like I’m completely incapable of taking care of myself,” Rin snapped, kneeing Sousuke in the back of the leg.

“Sorry,” the taller man said seriously, cerulean eyes straight forward.  “You just…scared me,” he looked down at the yellow safety line a few steps away from the edge of the platform.  “When you collapsed, I…”

“No, I’m sorry,” Rin gripped the sleeve of Sousuke’s jacket.  “You’re just trying to help and I’m being an ass,” he let his forehead fall to rest on Sousuke’s shoulder.  “I’m just tired.”

“Well, hopefully the train will get here soon and we can get you home and in bed.”

The train ride was short.  They’d taken the express.  And the walk from the station to Rin’s house only took a few minutes.  Still, when they arrived, Rin’s cheeks were flushed and he was panting softly.

“Are you okay?” Sousuke asked as they walked up to the Matsuokas’ door.

“Yeah, just…just tired,” Rin closed his eyes.  He looked like he was ready to keel over, so, rather than hunting through the bags for the redhead's keys, Sousuke knocked on the door.  Rin’s mother answered quickly, her face pinched with worry.

“Sousuke-kun,” her eyes went wide when she saw him.  “I wasn’t expecting you,” she smiled up at him.  “My, how you’ve grown. What did they feed you in Tokyo?”

“He probably ate the same way he does here,” Rin snorted before he fell forward.  He caught himself against the door frame and gripped his head with his free hand.

“Rin!” Sousuke put a hand on his back.  He could feel the heat even through the layers he was wearing.  He glanced over at Rin’s mother, ready to explain that this had happened at school, but he stopped when he saw her face.  It was solemn, knowing.

“Sorry,” Rin pushed Sousuke’s hand away.  “I’m just a little dizzy,” he stood back up. “I think I’ll go upstairs.”

“I’ll bring up something to eat,” his mother offered and he nodded, but didn’t turn around, walking like a zombie toward the steps.

“Rin,” Sousuke called after him.

“Sorry, Sou,” he stopped, one hand on the railing as he looked over his shoulder.  “I promise I’ll rest so…go home, okay?”

“Rin…”

“I’ll be fine.”

Sousuke hesitated, but he nodded.  Rin gave a weak smile and then began ascending to the second floor.

Both Sousuke and Rin’s mother watched him carefully until he disappeared at the top of the stairs.

“Thank you for walking him here, Sousuke-kun,” she turned to face him.  Sousuke always remembered her looking young.  She was the envy of all the other mothers of the kids in his grade.  Even Sousuke’s own mother would talk about how smooth her skin was and how she didn’t have a wrinkle on her.  But now she looked older, tired.  She had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was pale.

“It wasn’t a problem,” Sousuke answered.  “Should I take his bags up?”

“No, no, you can leave them here,” she pointed to a free space in the genkan.  “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said and then looked up the stairs.

“You’re worried about him?” she asked.

“Of course,” Sousuke responded without thinking.  Then he felt a small hand on his arm.  Rin’s mother looked up at him, her brown eyes wet with unshed tears.

“Thank you, Sousuke-kun,” she said and then repeated it.  “Thank you.”

She invited him to stay for dinner, saying that Gou would be home from afterschool practice soon.  But he declined.  His own mother had been on him for weeks to come home and his dad needed help moving their old television into the garage to make room for their new one.

He’d ended up helping his father rearrange the entire family room, his mother orchestrating it all from her spot leaning against the counter, a mug of hot chocolate in her hand as the other one pointed, directing them.

Sousuke was sore when he finally made it upstairs and took a bath.  As he got ready for bed, his thoughts drifted back to Rin.  Was he all right?  Did his fever go down?  His mother worked the nightshift.  Would Gou be able to take care of him if something happened?

With these thoughts in mind, he drifted off to sleep.

*~*

Now he was on his way back to the Matsuoka’s house.  It was really late, or really early, depending on how you looked at it.  There were only ten streetlights between the Yamazakis’ and the Matsuokas’ houses.  Two of which were out.  But he knew the path well.  He made it there in no time.

Gou was at the front door when he came up the walk.

“I know you said not to leave him, but-”

“What happened?” Sousuke feared the worst.

“He’s…he’s not like himself,” Gou wrung her fingers.  “He’s moaning for you and he…he hissed at me.”

“Hissed…?” Sousuke repeated, blinking slowly.  “Did you call an ambulance.”

“No,” she answered and quickly followed it with, “Mom told me not to.”

“What?”

“She said they wouldn’t understand,” she blurted and then her eyes widened before she looked away.

“Wouldn’t understand what?” he drew his brows down, not sure if he was more worried or frustrated.

“I’m not supposed to-” she was cut off when a scream echoed through the house.  “Onii-chan,” she bit her lip.

“Stay down here and call your mother,” Sousuke removed his shoes and jacket.  He took a deep breath before he quickly walked up the stairs.  He could hear Rin moving around in his room, knocking things over.  He turned the knob and gasped.

The room was a mess.  Rin was always so tidy, a place for everything and everything in its place.  But now there were books thrown everywhere, clothes strewn about, an overturned lamp and desk chair placed far away from their usual spots.  The room looked like a tornado hit it.

“Rin?” he called, scanning the room for his best friend.  He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and spotted a red mop of hair poking out from underneath a pile of blankets.  “Rin?” he shut the door behind him, walking cautiously over to his friend.  “Rin, are you okay?” he pulled the blanket to the side.

“Sou…suke?” Rin peered up at him, face pink and eyes a deeper red than he’d ever seen them.  “Sousuke…you came…” he crawled out from his ‘nest’ and reached his hands forward, gripping the sides of the brunet’s head.  “You came…” he repeated, pressing his body against him.

Sousuke could feel the heat through his clothing.  The hands on the sides of his face were burning into his skin.  It was then that he noticed the redhead was naked.

“Rin, you’re going to make it worse,” he reached for the blankets so he could cover him up.

“Hot…” Rin whined, pushing him down and straddling his hips.  “I’m…so hot…”

“Rin,” Sousuke tried to sit up, but he couldn’t push the other man off of him.  He was far stronger than a sick person should be.  In fact, he was far stronger than Sousuke ever remembered him being.

“Sousuke…” Rin lowered his hands to grip the front of the brunet’s shirt.  He rested his cheek on Sousuke’s chest, the top of his head tucked under the taller man’s chin.  “You came…” he nuzzled him.

“Rin, you’ve got to get back in bed,” Sousuke pushed at his shoulders.  “If you’re hot, you can have more medicine,” he glanced over and saw the bottle of pills and a glass of water, miraculously spared from the carnage.  “Are you thirsty?”

Suddenly, Rin pulled back, pushing himself up so he could stare down at him.  His grip on the front of Sousuke’s shirt tightened.

“Rin?” he tried to make eye contact, but it was useless.  The redhead’s eyes were clouded and unfocused.  “Rin, are you-”

“Thirsty…” Rin said in a low voice.  “Sou…I’m…thirsty…”

“Well, let me up and I’ll get you-”

“No!” he shouted, blunt nails digging into his flesh even through the shirt.  Rin lowered his head so his mouth was hovering just over the juncture of Sousuke’s neck and shoulder.

“Rin, what are you…?”

“Thirsty,” he repeated, warm breath fanning over the taller man’s skin.

“Rin-” but Sousuke cut himself off with a shout as he felt sharp teeth sink into his flesh.  It hurt, almost burned, and then the teeth were gone, replaced by a tongue swiping over the wound, lapping up his blood with small, kitten licks.

Rin pulled back, lips wet, and smiled at him, teeth stained red with blood.  Then he closed his eyes and slumped forward.  Sousuke caught him.

“Rin?!”

“Sou…came…for me…” he mumbled in his sleep.

Sousuke didn’t know what was going on.  But he carried Rin to the bed, rearranging the blankets so he was covered.  He grabbed a couple tissues and wiped the redhead’s mouth.  Then he took a few more and pressed them against his wound, but, when he pulled the tissues away, they were clean.

He brought a hand up and rubbed his neck.  There was no blood and no puncture marks.

Had he imagined it?

No.  The pain was too intense, too real.  And the tissues he’d used to wipe Rin’s mouth were stained red.

It was real.

He walked over to the door and, with one last look at the man slumbering on the bed, he walked out of the room, the door softly clicking shut behind him.

“Sousuke-kun,” Gou looked up at him from the bottom of the stairs.  “Mom will be home in a few minutes,” she said, still clutching the phone to her chest.  “Is Onii-chan…”

“He’s fine now,” Sousuke said before adding, “I think.”  He walked down the stairs and sat down on one of the steps.  “He’s sleeping.”

“Okay,” Gou’s voice was shaking.  “He really scared me…”

“What’s going on?” he asked, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“I…” she trailed off, biting her lower lip. “I’m not sup-”

“Something’s wrong with Rin and I need to know what,” Sousuke stood up.  “Tell me, Gou.”

“I-”

“I think it’s best if I tell him.”

Sousuke and Gou turned to see her mother standing in the kitchen.  She had her keys in her hand and her jacket sliding off one of her shoulders, like she’d hastily put it on.

“Sousuke-kun,” she gestured to one of the chairs around the kitchen table.  “Please have a seat.”

*~*

Sousuke laced his fingers and set his hands on the kitchen table.  Rin’s mother walked over with two mugs of tea.  She set one down in front of him and took a seat.  Gou had gone up to bed, though she looked like she wanted to stay with them.  Still, one glance at her mother had her walking up the steps.

“What’s happening to Rin?” Sousuke got straight to the point.

“It might not be anything we need to-”

“He bit me, Auntie,” Sousuke pulled his shirt to the side. “He broke the skin, but now I’m healed.”

He put his hands back on the table and waited.

“I thought he might have been spared,” she said, looking at her reflection in the tea.  “His sixteenth birthday passed and nothing happened.”  She bit her lips.  “But being half must have only delayed it.”

Half?  Delayed?  What was she talking about?

“Auntie-”

“This is all my fault, really,” she said, still speaking to her tea.  “It’s because I fell in love.”

Sousuke remained silent, waiting to hear what Rin’s mother had to say.

“When I was fourteen, I met the love of my life,” she finally looked up at him, brown eyes clouded.  “I didn’t care what he was or where he came from,” she went on.  “He was just as human as anyone else.”

Sousuke furrowed his brow, but still didn’t speak.

“For two years, we dated like normal teenagers,” she said.  “Then he changed.”

“Changed?” he finally spoke.

“Toraichi told me from the beginning that he wasn’t like other boys,” she warmed her hands on the sides of her mug.  “But on the night of his sixteenth birthday, he received The Call.”  She gave a small smile.  “Sharper teeth, brighter eyes,” she lowered her lids.  “He was still handsome.”

“Auntie…”

“The tail took some getting used to,” she opened her eyes again.  “The sea was calling him home,” she explained.  “He’d been on human legs for too long.  But, you see,” she continued.  “There was a way to keep him on land. To keep him human.”

“How?” he asked.

“Blood.”

Sousuke’s eyes widened.

“Fish blood did the trick at first,” she said.  “But The Call overpowered its effects. So, I…” tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

“So, you gave him yours.”  It wasn’t a question.  She nodded.

“I kept him to myself for two more years,” she wiped away a stray tear that had spilled over.  “But it wasn’t enough."  She glared at the mug in her hands.  “So, I…I found another way to bind him to me.”  She glanced up the stairs.

“Rin.”  Sousuke sat back in his seat, letting his hands fall to his sides.

“When he found out I was pregnant, he…he was so happy,” she sniffled.  “I thought it was enough to keep him here.  But even after Rin and Gou were born, he still felt The Call of the Sea.”

“That’s why he was always gone.”

“It was easier to tell the kids that he was off fishing,” she said.  “Our town is full of fishermen, so everyone else believed us, too.”

Sousuke nodded.

“He’d go out for a week at a time and then come home to us,” she closed her eyes and more tears began to fall.  “But one time, he never came back.”

“Auntie, I-”

“We blamed the storm,” she swallowed.  “So many had lost their loved ones and the timing was right,” she bit her lip.  “But, to this day, I have no idea where he went…if he finally decided to leave us-”

“I don’t believe that,” Sousuke stood up, startling her.  “I don’t believe that, after years of coming home to you, that he’d just decide to leave.”  He looked up the stairs.

“That’s sweet of you, Sousuke-kun,” she gave him a watery smile.  “I like to think that, too, but that would mean something horrible happened to him,” she looked down, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.  “I’d rather he be alive and happy, even if that means he abandoned us.”

Sousuke sat back down, watching as Rin’s mother reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.  She wiped away her tears.

“I’m sorry to cry in front of you,” she gave a small laugh.

“I’m used to it,” he smiled back at her.

“I imagine you are,” she shook her head and then looked up the stairs.  “Rin is half,” she said again.  “I don’t know how this will affect him.  If The Call will…” she trailed off, a hand coming to cover her mouth.

Sousuke had known Rin almost his entire life.  He was his best friend.  He loved him.  Maybe more than a best friend should.  He didn’t want to see him taken by the sea.

“If,” Sousuke began and then swallowed.  “If it’s blood Rin needs, I-”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that, Sousuke-kun,” she looked at him with wide eyes.

“But if it keeps him here,” he reached over and took one of her hands in his.  “If it keeps him home.”

“Sousuke-kun…” she sobbed.  “I…I don’t want to lose him, too.”

“We won’t,” he gave her hand a squeeze. “I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? ^^
> 
> I think I did it again. Ya know, started something that just begs to be finished...  
> But I know I need to update Targeted, so never fear!
> 
> Let me know what you think and hit me up on tumblr~  
> http://jubesy.tumblr.com/


End file.
